The Chula Vista High School boys tennis team earned a share of this year’s South Bay League championship, which is believed to be the first league championship in the sport in the school’s 72-year history.
The Spartans finished 9-1 in league matches to tie for the league title, 10-2 overall.
“We shared the league title with Mater Dei Catholic with identical records of 9-1,” CVHS coach Keven Ryan said. “They beat us the first match and we beat them the second match.”
Both teams received high seeds in this week’s San Diego Section Division III playoffs. Mater Dei Catholic (11-1) is seeded second in the 16-team draw while Chula Vista is seeded third.
“If we both win our first two playoff matches, we could face each other in the Final Four of the tournament,” Ryan noted.
The Spartans are scheduled to host 14th-seeded Christian (5-7) in Tuesday’s first round, with the winner advancing to Wednesday’s quarterfinals against either sixth-seeded Classical Academy (12-7) or 11th-seeded High Tech High San Diego (7-7).
Mater Dei Catholic hosts 15th-seeded West Hills (5-8) in the first round and will face either seventh-seeded Horizon Prep (9-2) or 10th-seeded Granite Hills (7-9) in the quarterfinals.
Semifinal matches are scheduled Thursday, followed by the championship game Friday at the Balboa Tennis Club, starting at 2 p.m.
A total of five Metro Conference teams received berths in the Division III playoffs. Otay Ranch (3-11) is seeded 12th while Mar Vista (4-10) is seeded 13th, followed by 16th-seeded Castle Park (5-5).
Serra (11-3) received the No. 1 seed among Division III teams while Madison (9-9) is seeded fourth.
Other seeded teams include No. 5, Fallbrook (10-6), No. 8 Monte Vista (8-5) and No. 9 Mission Bay (10-3).
Ryan is hopeful his team can represent itself well in postseason competition based on the results of regular season play.
Chula Vista’s only other loss was to Bonita Vista in non-league competition. The Barons (12-5) received the No. 12 seed in the Division I playoffs.
“They worked hard,” Ryan said of his team, which features eight underclassmen and four seniors. “I give them a lot of credit. They were self-motivated. They had a goal for themselves. They just needed someone to put it together, which was my job.”
The Spartans enter post-season competition with some impressive records.
No. 1 singles Brian Espinoza is 23-1 on the season while No. 2 singles Ryan Wright is 25-5. No. 3 singles Joshua Sanchez is 20-7.
The No. 1 doubles team of David Murillo and Randolph Teh is 21-4.
Espinoza is a sophomore while Wright, Sanchez, Teh and Murillo are seniors.
Other team members include No. 2 doubles Michael Sanchez and Armand Dillon, both juniors, and No. 3 doubles Kinan Ochoa, a sophomore, and Josiah Roman, a junior.
Utility players include juniors Bryan Pena and Jose Ruiz and freshman Eric Wright.
Mater Dei Catholic defeated Chula Vista, 12-6, in the team’s first-round league match-up while the Spartans topped the Crusaders 66-63 in games after the teams battled to a 9-9 standoff in the rematch.
Mater Dei Catholic’s Jose Oropeza won the South Bay League singles title, followed by Espinosa and Wright in second and third place, respectively.
Mater Dei Catholic captured the league’s doubles title while Chula Vista’s top doubles team finished second. Castle Park finished third.
San Diego Section
Boys Tennis Playoffs
Open Division
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, April 29
(8) Eastlake (14-0) at (1) Torrey Pines (17-1)
(5) La Jolla (13-2) at (4) Bishop’s (14-2)
(6) St. Augustine (14-4) at (3) Del Norte (13-2)
(7) La Costa Canyon (10-5) at (2) Canyon Crest Academy (19-3)
Division I
First Round
Tuesday, April 29
(16) Rancho Buena Vista (6-10) at (1) La Jolla Country Day (9-7)
(9) San Marcos (8-8) at (8) San Dieguito Academy (14-7)
(12) Bonita Vista (12-5) at (5) Cathedral Catholic (12-5)
(13) Olympian (8-7) at (4) Vincent Memorial (10-2)
(11) Point Loma (6-9) at (6) Westview (6-8)
(14) Grossmont (8-6) at (3) Scripps Ranch (10-4)
(10) Francis Parker (4-9) at (7) Coronado (6-9)
(15) Mira Mesa (4-10) at (2) Rancho Bernardo (6-10
Division II
First round
Tuesday, April 29
(16) Southwest El Centro (10-6) at (1) Steele Canyon (11-1)
(9) Calexico (10-2) at (8) Carlsbad (7-9)
(12) Mt. Carmel (6-11) at (5) Sweetwater (10-4)
(13) San Pasqual (10-6) at (4) Pacific Ridge (11-2)
(11) El Cajon Valley (12-2) at (6) Poway (10-2)
(14) University City (11-9) at (3) Santana (13-3)
(10) Helix (4-8) at (7) Sage Creek (11-4)
(15) Valhalla (6-11) at (2) Patrick Henry (10-6)
Division III
First round
Tuesday, April 29
(16) Castle Park (5-5) at (1) Serra (11-3)
(9) Mission Bay (10-3) at (8) Monte Vista (8-5)
(12) Otay Ranch (3-11) at (5) Fallbrook (10-6)
(13) Mar Vista (4-10) at (4) Madison (9-9)
(11) High Tech San Diego (7-7) at (6) Classical Academy (12-7)
(14) Christian (5-7) at (3) Chula Vista (10-2)
(10) Granite Hills (7-9) at (7) Horizon Prep (9-2)
(15) West Hills (5-8) at (2) Mater Dei Catholic (11-1)
Photo Gallery by Phillip Brents
David Murillo, No. 1 doubles, Chula Vista High School
Photo Essay by Phillip Brents
Singles match:
Moises Padilla (Bonita Vista) vs. Ryan Wright (Chula Vista)
Wright wins 8-6 tiebreaker
